Li Shaoqiang (www.eastday.com): If an official's spending exceeds that of his legitimate income it is often a safe bet to assume he is taking bribes. But compared with other more visible types of spending, playing golf is not that obvious. A golf membership is not like owning a luxury villa, which stands as tangible evidence of corruption. As long as clubs refuse to release membership lists, or alter files that are to be used as evidence, prosecutors will struggle to find the proof they need. Therefore, the idea of probing golf club membership lists to fight against corruption is not feasible.

As a matter of fact, officials are invited to golf courses only because they wield power. Under circumstances without supervision of such power, there will definitely be much dirty laundry behind the scenes. It is much wiser for them to be responsible with the power they have rather than be the source of some investigation.

He Fang (Yan Zhao Metropolis Daily): Some officials start being corrupted from playing golf, a luxury that does not match their salaries. Golf membership investigations might therefore be part of this anti-corruption campaign. However, it also causes problems.

Though spending on luxuries goes against the social ethics of practicing economy, it is not totally banned. Citizens are entitled to any pattern of consumption, including purchasing luxuries. Officials are still citizens, and of course are similarly eligible for golf games as long as they do not take advantage of their positions when paying the bills.

Despite diversity in forms, the abuse of power remains the core of corruption. A feasible and tangible anti-corruption system should be devised on the basis of combined self-discipline and public supervision instead of probes that cost so much.

Wang Pan (Changjiang Times): Excessive spending by officials is not confined to golf club memberships. Other spending at star-rated hotels and nightclubs and huge amounts of bank deposits that cannot be quantified, villa ownerships and private limousines are all areas to be watched closely. But what is this all about? And how does one curb further corruption?

It is too simple to attribute all corruption to consumption of luxuries. The spread of corruption is basically due to the absence of a complete, open and transparent supervision system.

Luo Weiming (hlj.rednet.cn): Our efforts should be focused on the construction of a more efficient supervision system and the enforcement of rules and regulations, rather than merely golf club probes. The implementation of a property declaration system as in Hong Kong, for example, might be worth a try. Private property and possessions of major Hong Kong officials are regularly publicized for surveillance. Hong Kong's former financial secretary Antony Leung was forced to step down for his improper use of power in purchasing private cars for personal benefit.